Elsewhere, in the southern territories of Theales.
The surging tides resounded as they soaked the sand in saltwater. Several pebbles washed up on shore, sticking out like sore thumbs on the pale beach.
The scenery behind this particular seaside was nothing short of enthralling. Lofty palm trees swayed in the wind while evergreen bushes and forestry were blown out of proportion.
On a substantially flat rock, General Alanus Abiah was seated and polished his obsidian claymore.
The blade was cleansed with a small white towel that Alanus rubbed on the flat side of the large weapon.
He was wearing the renowned bone-white suit and yellow cape. Despite having heavy eye bags under his gaze, it had no effect on the eerie, commanding beauty he carried.
His golden hair, which was parted down the middle, fluttered in the winds circulating the area.
Beside him stood General Lluvia Verres, famed pearl of the Theales Land Military. Her long brown hair was tied back into a tight military-style bun. Two sparkly brown eyes glowed in the midday sun while her own white suit and orange cape balanced mobility with grace.
The mien that accompanied her was like no other. Even Alanus, who boasted no involvement with the opposite gender, couldn't resist her sheer beauty.
He would often find himself gawking at her, to which she smiled before walking away.
It wasn't like Alanus wasn't handsome himself, though. He possessed such appeal that women frequently approached him.
But despite that, he wouldn't reciprocate their affection.
So why was Lluvia the only exception?
Lluvia found space in the rock Alanus sat in and wiped it with her hand. Bending down slightly, she sat down next to Alanus and rubbed her shoulders.
"It's almost time. How long has it been since we were last deployed outside the country?"
"Too long. The last time I can remember is heading up north into the Phoen Glaciers."
Alanus looked down and faintly curled his lips upward. Lluvia! You're beautiful as always! He obviously wouldn't ever let Lluvia know that he was this excited to talk to her.
Calming down the rising temperature in his cheeks, Alanus sheathed the polished sword in a leather case before reattaching the whole contraption onto his hip.
"Yes, I remember that." Lluvia looked up at the sky and pursed her lips. "The ice-bears we encountered were nothing like I ever imagined."
The Phoen Glaciers was a mass of land located north of the Western Cradle. Covered in ice and water, no civilian from the three nations could fathom living there.
Nevertheless, there were communities who lived in the Phoen Glaciers. They were more archaic than the three countries and hadn't developed like their counterparts.
The mobility of the military in the frozen glaciers was simple: eradicate every living being in sight.
Emperor Magnus Van Selwyn IV was a troubled leader who always hallucinated that he would be the subject of a cruel murder.
Wherever he saw life that wasn't under the three nations, it would be gone in an instant.
It's frightening to see what the stripping away of a loved one can do to a person's mental capacity.
Alanus was originally against the idea of massacring innocent tribes for crimes they did not commit. Albeit his authority wasn't high enough to raise a powerful objection.
Alanus was thankfully deployed to kill the ice-bears and other tribunal species that roamed the glaciers instead of the people.
It was still wrong to him, but in a way, the morality increased.
Shaking his head and forgetting the thoughts that roamed free of charge, Alanus concentrated back on the beautiful Lluvia.
"The Naval Military officials should be arriving anytime now-"
At that cue, a tremendous dispatch became visible. It was dark blue with red outlines that created a rigid pattern. It bore the imposing flag of Theales: a portrait of Emperor Magnus Van Selwyn IV. He had short blonde hair, deeply colored blue eyes, and a domineering face that demanded influence.
On the dock of the ship, two figures stood side by side. One of them vanished in an instant, while the other launched into the sky.
The sand whirled like a storm just as the figures landed right in front of Alanus and Lluvia.
"Pellio, Philto." Alanus greeted with a slight nod. Lluvia followed suit shortly after.
The infamous Pansa twins. Legends in the Naval Military and even throughout the whole of Theales. Their presence alone displayed the severity of Preole Grye. This was not a mission that average personnel would be assigned.
"Abiaah. Verrres." They replied in unison. The voices they spoke with were cool, composed, and had an accent synonymous with Western Theales. It was when they would enunciate the second half of the word and make it so their voices inflected quite dramatically.
Pellio, who stood on the right, had short curly hair, thick eyebrows, and common brown eyes. His brother, Philto, had longer curly hair that drooped down just beneath his ears. A minuscule scar on his left cheek could be seen.
They both donned black compression shirts, Naval Military jackets that hung by their shoulders, and thick army pants.
Philto broke the silence, later surveying the pair before him. "We need to speak to your commander regarding the mission formalitiiies."
Pellio took over for his brother. "We will not be lonnng."
Alanus gestured toward the camp, where Commander Liona Volenhart, the one who oversaw the mission, rested.
While they were gone, Alanus relaxed his breathing and tried to make conversation with Lluvia. The latter was staring into the ocean with her eyes widened.
"Llu-"
"Alanus! Look!" She interrupted him with an astonished tone.
Alanus followed to where her finger pointed and stared into the ocean. His mouth spontaneously dropped.
Serene melodies scintillated the shore. It was soothing to the ears, instinctively making you want to melt down. The maritime water rippled in a tranquil pattern as the tunes clamored.
Down further, a figure could be seen gracefully dancing. It wasn't a person, no. It had a tail!
It sung-
"A mermaid!"
"Yes! It's my first time ever seeing one of them!"
Lluvia's eyes sparkled while watching the mermaid chant the fabulous tune. Alanus, who was supposed to be captivated by the mermaid, was stuck on something—someone—else.
Staring at Lluvia's side profile, Alanus felt his cheeks burn up. "So beautiful…"
"They are!" Lluvia turned around and exclaimed in glee.
Not the mermaids! Alanus couldn't help but cover his face with a hand, trying to hide the embarrassment.
Lluvia was seemingly oblivious to his attitude. Her eyes remained fixated on the gracious mermaid.
Alanus stared at her indefinitely before a light bulb went off in his head.
Spotting mermaids... That's a sign of a blessed marriage! Are the stars aligning for me? Alanus' delusions were brought to light, especially once considering the old Theales tale.
"He who spots a mermaid with a partner will be blessed with an everlasting, blissful marriage." - Rao Ling, an ancient Thealisian elder.
To this day, no one has checked the reliability of the saying.
Alanus heard it from his brother, who dreamt of the day when he could start a family. In the alleyways, where they both would scavenge for food, Alanus' brother would make light of the situation and tell tales.
Some may have been made up, but Alanus never cared if they were true or not.
Deciding to shoot his shot, Alanus mustered all the courage in his heart and looked at the gorgeous lady next to him.
"Llu-"
"Sorry to interrupt your canoodling." It was Philto's abrupt voice that interrupted Alanus this time.
Alanus' ears turned a light shade of pink. "W-We're not canoodling!"
Lluvia chuckled and faced the twins.
Philto ignored Alanus' defense and continued. "We all know what Preole Grye holds."
The group nodded. This time, Pellio took over. "The only man to ever conquer the world had left his treasures there. However, no one seems to remember 'His' nameee."
Historians, theologians, and the like have all spent countless generations trying to uncover the mystery surrounding this nameless conqueror. Unfortunately, each search spent was to no avail.
"The reason we've never found them," Pellio continued. "Is because the island is infested with monsters. Emperor Magnus' orders are simple." The group waited in anticipation.
"Eradicate them all."